My Best Friend
by The.Mad.Shadow
Summary: Alternatively titled: Third Time's the Charm


**Wait, two documents in a twelve hour timespan? What? I finally managed to finish editing my post-Watershed piece, since obviously I'm not satisfied with the cliffhanger. Sadly, I still don't own the rights to Castle.**

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The first time he asked her, she said no without a second thought. She loved him, more than she could ever hope to convey through words alone, but no. Not with the imminent threat of a break-up hanging over both their heads. Not when it felt like he was trying to give her a reason to stay in New York, like he was telling her it was his way or the highway. So she gave him a small smile, put the ring back into the box and told him to try again.

They had fought. Oh, how they had fought. Angry words, and red faces, and shattered coffee mugs, and sleeping alone kind of fights. The kind of fights that made her question how they had ever really worked in the first place. She barely remembered the days of the week, much less the words she said. And then he had shown up at her place – after kicking her out of the Loft – holding the ring again.

So, the second time he asked her, she slammed the door in his face, ignoring him as he banged on the door. He pleaded to be let in. She went to bed. In the morning, she went to get the paper and found him slumped against the doorframe, ring clasped tightly in his fingers. She shook him awake and let him follow her inside, the scent of coffee filling up her apartment with its delicious tang. She took the day off from work, and they sat there, in her living room, holding each other until sleep overtook them.

It was not one of the best days of Kate's life, nor was it the worst. It just was. But that's what made it different. That's what made it real. For too long, she had been waiting for someone to wake her up from the dream that she had been having, turn off the music and make her realize that the dance was over. After that, she knew better. They were _them_, not just one plus one. And, suddenly, knowing where they were going didn't matter to her, because she knew that wherever it was, they would be together.

She moved in not long after that. In packing her boxes she realized exactly how much of her stuff had accumulated at the Loft. And, instead of making her want to run and bury her head in the sand, something clicked. She was ready. Not just for living with Castle, but for what came after. She didn't _want_ to be alone any more, didn't want to hide. So, to make it feel even more permanent, she turned her lease over to Alexis, telling the girl that she could make far more use of it. Then, she settled in with the man she love, in _their bed_, in _their Loft_, and went to sleep.

One morning, she awoke to the delicious aroma of pancakes and freshly brewed coffee… and no Castle. Refusing to open her eyes more than a crack, she went in search of her caffeine fix, following her nose. She expected to find him, standing in the kitchen, his ridiculous 'Kiss the Cook' apron tied at the waist, cooking and yawning and laughing as he watched her trudge in. But all she saw was a mug full of steaming brown liquid that smelled of vanilla and something else she couldn't quite place. She nearly drained it in one gulp, sighing as she felt her drug of choice stream through her veins.

Then she saw the note.

_My best friend is beautiful_

_Inside_

_And out._

_Her skin glows,_

_As though the goodness of_

_The soul within cannot be_

_Contained._

_Cannot be restrained._

_Cannot be stopped._

_My best friend would,_

_If she could,_

_Move mountains using only_

_Her hands._

_Carry the burdens of many_

_On the shoulders of one._

_My best friend trudges_

_Through the darkness of_

_The world,_

_And keeps going._

_She is remarkable._

_She is maddening._

_She is challenging._

_She is frustrating._

_She is 4 AM coffee runs,_

_And late nights with Murderboards,_

_And walls,_

_And ice cubes,_

_And leather,_

_And breaking the rules,_

_And making her own._

_She is my everything._

_She is my Always._

She felt her heart stop, as the stationery fell from her hand. Footsteps behind her made her turn, and there he was, barefoot in a pair of jeans and the green lantern shirt she had given him for his birthday. He walked over to her, a small grin on his face, but tripped over a shoe that she had left out in the hall. She couldn't help it, she laughed. Or, rather, she let out a rather un-feminine snort. He looked up at her from the floor, his eyes sparkling.

"I aim to amuse."

She turned back to the counter to grab her mug, sipping slowly to savor the last few seconds of her drink. Cinnamon, he had added cinnamon. She loved vanilla, and he loved cinnamon, and this… this was them. Blended. Perfectly in sync to create an even better flavor.

She felt his hands come to her hips, felt him pull them together. His lips ghosted over her ear, sending a shiver up her spine. She could feel his shaking with laughter, each chuckles reverberating through her until she couldn't help it, she laughed, too.

"You know what's coming, don't you?" His voice was barely more than a whisper. She nodded her head slowly, as she turned to face him. He bent his neck to press his forehead to hers, and, for a moment, they stood there, staring into each other's eyes. Then, he started descending, pulling away from her to reach into his pocket. She stood there, transfixed, as his eyes hold her gaze.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, my partner, my kick-ass laser tag nemesis, my best friend. Would you do me the incredible honor of marrying me?"

The third time he asks her, it's just the two of them, having breakfast. It's big, it's intimate. The third time he asks her, she says yes.

**Hope you enjoyed, and please don't forget to review!**

**Twitter:** The_Mad_Shadow


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